Dosing valve

ABSTRACT

A dosing valve for liquid product comprises a valve body open in the upper part to receive product and having an outlet orifice at the lower part. An upper disc is displacable above a pierced separating member in a cylindrical housing in the body, the disc being smaller than the housing to leave a gap for the passage of product. The upper disc is displacable, against the action of a spring, from an upper position in which it allows passage of a dose of product towards a lower position in which it stops the passage of product. A lower disc, for controlling the passage of doses of product through the separating member to the outlet orifice, is normally applied against the lower face of the separating member by the difference in the atmospheric pressure acting downstream of the lower disc and a depression created upstream of the lower disc when the upper disc moves from the lower position to the upper position.

iJ sates Patent 11 1 1 3,743,146

Schindler 1 July 3, 1973 DOSING VALVE Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves [75] Inventor gf f ii g Geneva Assistant ExaminerJohn P. Shannon Att0rneyStevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [73] Assignee: ZYMA S.A., Nyon, Switzerland 221 Filed: Jan. 18, 1971 55 l f fi a l osmg va ve or iqul pro uct comprises a va ve [2]] Appl 107243 body open in the upper part to receive product and having an outlet orifice at the lower part. An upper disc [30] Foreign Application Priority Data is displacable above a pierced separating member in a Jan. 21, 1970 Switzerland 822/70 cylindrical housing in body the disc being Smaller than the housing to leave a gap for the passage of prod- 521 U.S. Cl 222/446, 222/447, 222/450, The PP disc is implacable, against the 222/496 222541 a spring, from an upper position in which it allows pas- 51 Int. Cl. G01f 11/28 Sage 3 P Wards a lwer [58] Field of Search 222 450, 445, 446, which it stops the Passage 0f P A disc, for

222/447 212 495 496 541 controlling the passage of doses of product through the separating member to the outlet orifice, is normally ap- [56] References Cited plied against the lower face of the separating member by the difference in the atmospheric pressure acting UNITED STATES PATENTS downstream of the lower disc and a depression created i upstream of the lower disc when the upper disc moves ar er 2,504,276 4/1950 Olsen u 222,496 x from the lower position to the upper position. 3,460,724 8/1969 Chmela 222/541 1 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures i 1 2 Q a /////A 7 15 a 1 DOSING VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to dosing valves for liquid product, in particular for liquid soap.

Dosing valves are known using, for example, an elastic membrane normally closing an outlet orifice for the product and opening this orifice by a pressure transmitted by the product to let out a required dose.

This type of valve is not of a very sure operation and does not enable a precise dosing of the product to be distributed. Moreover, elastic membranes wear out so that after a time they do not effectively close up the outlet orifice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention aims to remedy these drawbacks and accordingly provides a dosing valve for liquid product, in particular for liquid soap, comprising a valve body having an upper part and a lower part, the upper part being open to receive product under pressure and the lower apart being provided with an outlet orifice, an upper disc displacable above the separating member in a cylindrical housing having a greater diameter than that of the disc to provide a gap for passage of liquid product, said disc being displacable between an upper position in which it allows passage of a dose of product and a lower position in which it stops passage of the product, a spring urging the disc towards the upper position, and a lower disc normally applied against the lower face of the separating member at least partially by the difference of the atmospheric pressure acting downstream of the lower disc and a depression created upstream of the lower disc when the upper disc moves from the lower position to the upper position, the lower disc forming means for controlling the passage of doses of liquid product through the separating member to the outlet orifice.

DESIGNATION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The valve shown in FIG. 1 is fixed, for example by welding, to the neck 1 of a recipient containing a liquid product such as liquid soap, for example used as disinfectant for washing the hands in hospitals and similar establishments. The recipient, in plastic material, is of the type with a thin crushable wall intended to be thrown away with the dosing valve after use. Only the neck 1 of the recipient shown in the drawing is rigid.

The valve, entirely moulded in plastic material, comprises a hollow cylindrical body 2 open at its upper part to receive liquid product driven out from the recipient and ending at its lower end with a conical part 3 provided with an outlet orifice 4. A tear-off closure member or desope-rculato-r" 5 molded with the valve body can be torn off, in known manner, when the valve is to be used.

The cylindrical body 2 has an upper conical flange 6 forming a peripheral shoulder 7 hooking onto the neck 1 of the recipient. A flange 8 also provided by molding with the valve body applies against the lower end of neck 1.

A separating member 9 provided on its upper side with a flange 9 rests on an internal shoulder 3' of the cylindrical body 2 in which it is held by means of an annular boss 10 of the body elastically clipped in a corresponding groove 11 of the member 9. Of course, the boss 10 could be provided on the member 9 and the groove in the body 2, and it would also be possible to provide any other means for securing these two elements. The separating member 9 is provided with holes 12 arranged around a central bore 13. On the lower face of the member 9 is formed a rib l4 concentric to the bore 13 and forming a seat for a clapper 16.

A rod 15 of the clapper 16 is slidingly mounted in the central bore 13 of the member 9. This rod 15 slidably carries a disc 17 with a hub 18 urged towards an upper position by a coil spring 19 supported, on the other hand, against the member 9. A stop 15' retains the disc 17 in its upper position. This stop 15' could be positionally adjustable on the rod 15 to enable modification of the length of the path of the disc and, consequently, the dose of the liquid product to be distributed. The diameter of the disc 17 is smaller than the internal diameter of the cylindrical body 2 in a manner to leave a peripheral gap E for the passage of the liquid product, as will be seen later.

The lower end of the rod 15 carries the clapper 16 which is normally urged against the rib 14 by a coil spring 20 supported against the bottom of the conical part 3 of the valve body. A packing joint 21 is fixed on the clapper 16 to bear against the rib 14.

In operation, in the position of FIG. 1, the space between the disc 17 and the separating member 9 is filled with liquid product. By exerting a pressure on the crushable recipient (not shown), the disc 17 moves down and simultaneously the clapper 16 opens and allows the dose of liquid product contained between the disc 17 and the member 9 to pass through the holes 12. This dose of product outlets through the orifice 4 the closure member 5 of which has been previously torn off.

Upon releasing the crushable recipient, the disc 17 moves up again under the action of spring 19, thus creating a depression upstream of the clapper 16. The latter is then applied against its seat by the difference of the atmospheric pressure prevailing downstream of the clapper and the depression upstream of the clapper.

The gap E acts as a valve by letting the product pass in the housing between the disc 17 and the member 9 when the disc 17 is in the upper position, for provision of a new dose and to enable the cycle of the operations to be repeated until the liquid product is finished.

In the described embodiment, the spring 20 could be eliminated without affecting operation of the valve.

FIG. 2 shows a variant valve in which the clapper 16' has a greater diameter and is thus more sensible to the differences of pressure acting on its two faces and is of quicker operation. The downstream face of this clapper 16, at the end of its opening path, comes up against bosses 22 on the lower part of the valve body 2'. These bosses22 enable the liquid product to outlet through the orifice 4 by passing under the clapper 16'. In this variant, the same reference signs designate the same members as in the previous embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows another variant of clapper 23 provided at its periphery with flutes 24. When the clapper 23 is in the opening position, that is to say applied against the wall 25 of the lower part of the body 2, the flutes 24 enable a dose of liquid product to pass from upstream of to downstream of the clapper 23 to outlet through the orifice 4. As in the preceding variant, the dimensions of the clapper 23 ensure rapid and sure operation.

In the third variant shown in FIG. 4, the valve comprises a separating member 26 having a central opening 27 and a cylindrical skirt 26 in the lower part of which four radial ribs 28 are orthogonally arranged. This separating member 26 is forced in the valve body 29 which comprises a flare 30 in its upper part ending with a notch 31 in which is clamped the corresponding lower edge of the member 26. An upper disc 32 is mounted in the cylindrical housing 33 of the skirt 26 and is urged into an upper position by a spring 34 as shown on the left of FIG. 4. An edge 35 of the skirt 26 acts as a stop for the disc 32 in its upper position and at the same time closescommunication between the housing 33 and the interior of the recipient 36containing the product to be distributed. A gap E is also provided between the disc 32 and the lower wall of the housing 33 as in the preceding examples, so that when the disc 32 is moved from its extreme upper position against the edge 35, the liquid product can flow through the gap E. In its lower position, shown on the right in FIG. 4, the disc 32 bears on a shoulder 38 of the inner wall of the housing 33 and closes communication between this housing and the space situated below the lower side of the disc 32.

A lower disc 39 is normally applied against the lower face of the separating member 26 by means of a spring 40, as indicated on the left of FIG. 4. A packing member 41 is fixed on the disc 39 to engage with a circular rib 42 of the member 26.

The lower part of the valve has radial ribs 43, an outlet orifice 44 and a tear-off closure member or desoperculator 45.

The operation of the variant of FIG. 4 is the same as that of the preceding examples. The spring could be eliminated without affecting the correct operation of the valve, the disc 39 of which can be urged against the rib 42 by the difference of the depression upstream of the member 26 and the atmospheric pressure downstream of this member.

The described valves have the advantage of being of simple construction and of a sure and precise operation. Correct operation depends of course of the properties of the liquid product used, in particular its viscosity. The gap E as well as the springs 19 and 20, 34 and 40 are chosen as a function of the characteristics of the liquid product used. Instead of being connected to a recipient, the described valve could be fixed to a distributor apparatus.

A recipient provided with a dosing valve can either placed in a distributor apparatus such as that described in Applicants co-pending Application Serial No. 99,854, filed Dec. 21, 1970, now US. Pat. No. 3,706,400, or used by gripping it in a hand and squeezing out the required doses by pressure of the hand.

What is claimed is:

l. A dosing valve for liquid product, in particular for liquid soap, comprising a valve body having an upper part and a lower part, the upper part being open to receive product under pressure and the lower part being provided with an outlet orifice, a pierced separating member mounted in the valve body above the outlet orifice, an upper disc displaceable above the separating member in a cylindrical housing having a greater diameter than that of the disc to provide a gap for passage of liquid product, said disc being displaceable between an upper position in which it allows passage of a dose of product to a lower position in which it stops passage of the product, a spring urging the disc towards the upper position, and a lower disc normally applied against the lower face of the separating member at least partially by the difference of the atmospheric pressure acting downstream of the lower disc and a depression created upstream of the lower disc when the upper disc moves from the lower position to the upper position, the lower disc forming means for controlling the passage of doses of liquid product through the separating member to the outlet orifice, and in which the lower disc forms a clapper slidably mounted relative to the separating member, the upper disc being slidably mounted relative to the lower disc, and stop means being provided to prevent the upper disc from moving above the upper position, in which said clapper is mounted on a rod which is slidably mounted in a central bore of the separating member, the upper disc being slidably mounted on said rod.

2. A valve according to claim 1, in which the cylindrical housing is provided in the valve body, and the upper disc is displaceable from the upper position against the stop means to the lower position in engagement with a peripheral flange on the separating member.

3. A valve according to claim 2, in which the clapper is provided with peripheral notches to allow a dose of liquid product to pass when the clapper is in a lowered position.

4. A valve according to claim 2, in which the upper part of the cylindrical body has a conical edge forming an external peripheral shoulder able to hook into the neck of a recipient for liquid product. 

1. A dosing valve for liquid product, in particular for liquid soap, comprising a valve body having an upper part and a lower part, the upper part being open to receive product under pressure and the lower part being provided with an outlet orifice, a pierced separating member mounted in the valve body above the outlet orifice, an upper disc displaceable above the separating member in a cylindrical housing having a greater diameter than that of the disc to provide a gap for passage of liquid product, said disc being displaceable betWeen an upper position in which it allows passage of a dose of product to a lower position in which it stops passage of the product, a spring urging the disc towards the upper position, and a lower disc normally applied against the lower face of the separating member at least partially by the difference of the atmospheric pressure acting downstream of the lower disc and a depression created upstream of the lower disc when the upper disc moves from the lower position to the upper position, the lower disc forming means for controlling the passage of doses of liquid product through the separating member to the outlet orifice, and in which the lower disc forms a clapper slidably mounted relative to the separating member, the upper disc being slidably mounted relative to the lower disc, and stop means being provided to prevent the upper disc from moving above the upper position, in which said clapper is mounted on a rod which is slidably mounted in a central bore of the separating member, the upper disc being slidably mounted on said rod.
 2. A valve according to claim 1, in which the cylindrical housing is provided in the valve body, and the upper disc is displaceable from the upper position against the stop means to the lower position in engagement with a peripheral flange on the separating member.
 3. A valve according to claim 2, in which the clapper is provided with peripheral notches to allow a dose of liquid product to pass when the clapper is in a lowered position.
 4. A valve according to claim 2, in which the upper part of the cylindrical body has a conical edge forming an external peripheral shoulder able to hook into the neck of a recipient for liquid product. 